Citizen journalism has grown with the rise of the Internet and social media. It allows everyday people to participate in news and information sharing through independent websites, personal blogs, and comments on mainstream news sites. There are five layers of online citizen journalism: 1) public comments, 2) citizen blogs, 3) newsroom blogs, 4) standalone citizen journalism sites, and 5) integration of professional and citizen journalism. The final layer combines both amateur and professional content and can create a model that successfully rivals traditional journalism outlets.